FIRE engines rushed to extinguish a blaze in a fish and chip shop which engulfed the kitchen.

The incident happened at Dolphin Fish and Chip Shop in Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon at about 11am today after passers by noticed thick black smoke going up towards the flats above.

Four fire engines attended the scene from Heathrow, Hillingdon, Northolt and Hayes and controlled the blaze. No one was injured.

Shop owner Oruc Gucluer said: "I just turned on the machines and I was getting everything, I had no idea there was a fire but when I turned around I saw flames coming from the chip fryer.

"I got out and called the fire brigade. The flames spread very quickly.

"I do ensure everything is safe but sometimes with oil things can get out of hand and you just can't do anything to control it."

Adrian Redgewell, watch manager at the fire brigade based in Hillingdon Fire Station, said: "When we arrived there was thick black smoke everywhere, you couldn't see through it, and because there was an extractor fan the smoke was being taken to the flats above very quickly which was one of our main considerations.

"We had to use a thermal imaging camera to detect where the source of the heat was, and we managed to ensure the fire was extinguished as quickly as possible."